Mathikettan to be opened to visitors

Forest dept. has made arrangements for trekking in the shola national park

The Forest Department is planning to open Mathikettan, the pristine hill station in the Western Ghats, to visitors.

It has made arrangements for trekking in the Mathikettan Shola National Park under the Munnar wildlife division, providing visitors a facility to stay in the forest.

Munnar Wildlife Warden G. Prasad said the move was aimed at familiarising visitors with the rich biodiversity of the shola, its flora and fauna, so that they could help preserve it. Surrounded by the cardamom hill reserve, bordering Tamil Nadu, Mathikettan has an area of 12.81 sq km. Its location between Munnar and Thekkady makes it an ideal stopover. The neelakurinji blossomed recently in the hills of Choondayi in Tamil Nadu, near here.

Mr. Prasad said the promotion of ecotourism would aid the development of local communities and make the drive to protect the shola more effective. It would help reduce the tribal communities’ dependence on the forest. The pressure of visitors to Munnar could also be reduced, he said.

Forest trekking had been identified as one of main activities in the itinerary of visitors from abroad, Mr. Prasad said. Tribal youths from the eco-development society at Aduvilanthan would acts as trekking guides. The youths had already been given training, he said.

“It will provide employment and a regular income to the tribal people,” Mr. Prasad said. Tourists would stay at a log house named Spice Hut, which would allow them to be experience the shola forest environment.

An information centre had been opened at Santhanpara exclusively for the promotion of Mathikettan as an eco-friendly hill destination, he said.